Planet Money Records Vol. 3: Making a hit

Planet Money

NPR

Business, News

4.6 • 29.8K Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2023

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Since we started Planet Money Records and released the 47-year-old song "Inflation," the song has taken off. It recently hit 1 million streams on Spotify. And we now have a full line of merch — including a limited edition vinyl record; a colorful, neon hoodie; and 70s-inspired stickers — n.pr/shopplanetmoney.

After starting a label and negotiating our first record deal, we're taking the Inflation song out into the world to figure out the hidden economics of the music business. Things get complicated when we try to turn the song into a viral hit. Just sounding good isn't enough and turning a profit in the music business means being creative, patient and knowing the right people.

This is part three of the Planet Money Records series. Here's part one and part two.

Listen to "Inflation" on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Tidal, Amazon Music & Pandora.

Listen to our remix, "Inflation [136bpm]," on Spotify, YouTube Music & Amazon Music.

"Inflation" is on TikTok. (And — if you're inspired — add your own!)

This episode was reported by Erika Beras and Sarah Gonzalez, produced by Emma Peaslee and James Sneed, edited by Jess Jiang and Sally Helm, engineered by Brian Jarboe, and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez.

Music: "Inflation," "Superfly Fever," "Nola Strut" and "Inflation [136bpm]."

Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Planet Money from NPR.
0:04.0	Now people stop what you're doing.
0:10.5	Remember this song?
0:11.5	We're back.
0:14.5	It's been four and a half months since we released our single Inflation by Ernest Jackson
0:28.5	and Sugar Daddy in the Gumbo Roo.
0:30.5	This is part three of the series.
0:32.0	If you haven't listened to Parts 1 and 2, here's what you need to know.
0:35.0	We introduced you to a guy named Ernest Jackson.
0:38.0	A lot of people say I sound like Satchimo and Lewis Armstrong.
0:42.0	Ernest Jackson has been trying to make it in the music industry for more than 60 years.
0:46.0	Yes indeed, because that's been my dream since I was a little boy.
0:50.0	I've always wanted to be a superstar.
0:53.0	So Planet Money decided to become a record label to release this one Ernest Jackson song
0:59.4	from the 70s and see if we can make a hit and make some money.
1:03.8	We put the Inflation song out into the world in October.
1:07.0	And then we waited to see if anyone would listen.
1:14.0	So, how's our song doing?
1:18.0	You guys are doing great.
1:19.5	Fans are really loving inflation.
1:21.5	This is Sam Dubaff, you work for Spotify.
1:24.0	Really impressive numbers for a first song released.
	...

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